Teen with autism rescued after six days lost in Australian bushland
A 17-year-old boy with autism was located by police helicopter in eastern Australia after a six-day search, and was taken to hospital for monitoring.
Police said a 17-year-old boy identified only as William, who has Level 2 autism, was rescued Thursday after disappearing near the town of Walhalla in eastern Australia. He had gone missing Friday while camping with a friend and was found by a police helicopter crew lying on a flat rock beside a creek, wearing only shorts, boots and towels used as blankets.
Acting Police Inspector Jason Benbow said William had been trekking over steep terrain for several days and spent the last two days near the creek, about 1.2 miles from his campsite. When the helicopter arrived, William signaled with a thumbs-up and was winched to safety.
The boy was reunited with his mother, Elizabeth, and later taken to a hospital for health monitoring. Police reported that more than 100 emergency-service personnel and volunteers participated in the search operation.
William’s family noted that his autism requires substantial support and that disruptions to routine can cause significant distress.